Observations and notes from Georgia Tech’s spring practice Thursday morning at Alexander Rose Bowl Field. It was the Yellow Jackets’ 11th practice of 15 in coach Geoff Collins’ first spring with the team.
1. The offensive line that appears to be the first unit had a change Thursday morning. The tackles and guards remained the same – left tackle Zach Quinney, left guard Kenny Cooper, right guard Jared Southers and right tackle Jack DeFoor. Walk-on Chet Lagod was in at center for at least part of practice in place of Scott Morgan. DeFoor looked effective in pass protection.
2. Quarterback Lucas Johnson led that offense in a two-minute drill that resulted in a field goal. A big play was a catch-and-run completion from Johnson to running back Jordan Mason that got the ball close to the goal line. Wesley Wells finished the drive with a short field goal.
Walk-on quarterback Liam Byrne also got a series with the A offense in a two-minute situation in which the offense was trying to run out of the clock. Byrne ran twice on keepers for a first down.
3. Early-enrollee freshman defensive end Sylvain Yondjouen continued to get snaps with the A defense Thursday morning in a substitution package. Ends Jordan Domineck and Justice Dingle have worked with that group primarily. Yondjouen, signed by coach Geoff Collins from Belgium, has had some time with that defense this spring. Defensive ends and outside linebackers coach Marco Coleman praised his work last week.
“Sylvain is working extremely hard to try to get it,” Coleman said. “He has not only the barrier of just not having played a lot of football, but also (understanding) English, (American) culture. But I’m on Sylvain just as hard as I am on Jordan Domineck. I don’t lighten up on him just because of that. But do understand, he’s another great-character young man. All he does is take it and then keep on moving and he continues to work.”
4. Among visitors to practice Thursday morning was signee Jordan Yates, a quarterback from Milton High. Yates led the Eagles to the Class AAAAAAA state championship in December and was named the offensive player of the year for Class AAAAAAA.
